Game controller with audio signal output device

ABSTRACT

A game controller with an audio signal output device is disclosed. The game controller is applied in a personal computer and includes a control command receiving unit, a control unit, a connector terminal, and an audio signal output terminal. The connector terminal is coupled to the personal computer for receiving a control command signal and an audio signal. The control unit is coupled to the connector terminal used for receiving the control command signal and the audio signal. The control command receiving unit is used for receiving a game control command and outputting the control command signal. The audio signal output terminal is used for receiving and outputting the audio signal, wherein the control unit is used for receiving the audio signal and outputting the audio signal to the personal computer, and receiving the control command signal and outputting the command signal to the connector terminal at the same time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No.097117390, filed on May 12, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporatedby reference herein.

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a game controller with an audio signal outputdevice, and more particularly to a game controller for driving games ona personal computer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, when games are played on a personal computer, a unitsimilar to a joystick of a video game console is necessary for manygames. Buttons on this kind of unit with respect to a corresponding gameapplication are provided for facilitating game driving.

Moreover, for playing games on a personal computer, a speaker or aheadphone is required to be connected to an audio output device on thepersonal computer for audio output. Usually, the audio output device isan audio sound card embedded or external to the motherboard. Analog ordigital signals for audio output are transmitted to the speaker or theheadphone and subsequently broadcasted therethrough.

Therefore, an audio sound card is additionally required for playinggames. Further, most output terminals of the audio sound card are in theback of a personal computer case, such that it is inconvenient whenswitching a speaker or a headphone. Thus, there is a need for solvingthe aforementioned inconvenience.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One objective of the invention provides a game controller with an audiosignal output device for driving games on a personal computer. The gamecontroller comprises a connector terminal coupled to the personalcomputer for transmitting an audio signal and a control command signalto the personal computer, a control unit coupled to the connectorterminal for receiving the audio signal and the control command signal,a control command receiving unit for receiving a game control commandand outputting the control command signal, and an audio signal outputterminal for receiving an audio signal and outputting the audio signal,wherein the control unit is used for simultaneously receiving the audiosignal from the connector terminal, outputting the audio signal to thepersonal computer, receiving the control command signal from the controlcommand receiving unit, and outputting the control command signal to theconnector terminal.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequentdetailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a game controller with an audio signaloutput device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carryingout the invention. This description is made for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention and should not betaken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determinedby reference to the appended claims.

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a game controllerwith an audio signal output device according to a preferred embodimentof the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the game controller 1 comprises aconnector terminal 11, a control unit 12, a control command receivingunit 13, and an audio signal output terminal 14, wherein the connectorterminal 11 communicates with a personal computer 2 via a universalserial bus (USB), receives a audio signal via the universal serial busfrom the personal computer 2, transmits the audio signal to the controlunit 12. After the audio signal is received by the control unit 12, theaudio signal is further transmitted to the audio signal output terminal14 therefrom. The audio signal is then outputted to an externalheadphone or a speaker by the audio signal output terminal 14. Note thatthe connector of the audio signal output terminal 14 may be, but is notlimited to, a USB connector or an audio signal connector.

The game controller 1 further comprises a plurality of controllingbuttons (not shown), wherein the plurality of controlling buttons areused for generating game control commands by pressing or vibratingmanually. The control command receiving unit 13 is used for receivingthe game control commands and outputting the control command signal tothe control unit 12 according to the game control commands. The controlunit 12 processes and transmits the control command signal to thepersonal computer 12 via the output terminal 11 so as to driving games.

As mentioned above, it is necessary for the control unit 12 tosimultaneously receive the audio signal from the personal computer 2 andthe control command signal outputted by the control command receivingunit 13. Further, the control unit 12 simultaneously outputs the audiosignal to the audio signal output terminal 14 and transmits the controlcommand signal to the personal computer 2 via the output terminal 11 soas to drive games. Accordingly, the control unit 12 is required toprocess bidirectional communication of two different signals.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofpreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to thoseskilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims shouldbe accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications and similar arrangements.

1. A game controller with an audio signal output device for drivinggames on a personal computer comprising: a connector terminal coupled tothe personal computer for transmitting an audio signal and a controlcommand signal to the personal computer; a control unit coupled to theconnector terminal for receiving the audio signal and the controlcommand signal; a control command receiving unit for receiving a gamecontrol command and outputting the control command signal; and an audiosignal output terminal for receiving an audio signal and outputting theaudio signal, wherein the control unit simultaneously receives the audiosignal from the connector terminal and outputs the audio signal to thepersonal computer, and receives the control command signal from thecontrol command receiving unit and outputs the control command signal tothe connector terminal.
 2. The game controller with an audio signaloutput device according to claim 1, wherein the connector terminalcommunicates with the personal computer via a universal serial bus(USB).
 3. The game controller with an audio signal output deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of controllingbuttons, wherein the plurality of controlling buttons are pressed orvibrated manually for generating the game control command.
 4. The gamecontroller with an audio signal output device according to claim 1,wherein the audio signal output terminal is a universal serial bus (USB)connector or an audio signal connector.